Police in West Palm Beach remove occupy campers

The members had been protesting downtown around the clock since November, but they were gone Monday.

"An overwhelming majority of Occupy Jacksonville members felt that it was time for Occupy Jacksonville to evolve to a new stage in our struggle for political, social and economic justice," read a news release sent out Monday morning."

The group will hold meetings every Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon to schedule future events and will co-sponsor a foreclosure teach-in at 6 p.m. on March 13 at the Webb-Wesconnett Library. The group will also partner in starting a community garden at Bayshore Elementary School.

"We thank the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for the professionalism displayed by the officers throughout the occupation and are gracious for the generosity of the downtown merchants who supported our movement," the group's release read.

Local activists announced they were ending their occupation on the same day that protesters from the Occupy Wall Street movement in West Palm Beach were removed from a site where they had been campaing.

The Palm Beach Post reports about 20 people had stayed in tents near the old City Hall in West Palm Beach since December. It's the third spot the Occupy Palm Beach group has occupied.

But Mayor Jeri Muoio told the group last week that they needed to move, a warning many didn't heed.

Authorities removed all remaining members of the group early Monday.

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